


What is this feeling?

by Hellyea2nuandmore



Series: 2nu oneshots [3]
Category: Gorillaz
Genre: F/M, First 2nu fic, Fluff, I just started shipping this and sorry but they're cute fight me, Sorry if it isn't great
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-20 07:30:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16132559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hellyea2nuandmore/pseuds/Hellyea2nuandmore
Summary: Set after Rhinestone eyesNoodle arrives at plastic beach and finds out she has new and different feelings for 2D.Problem being she doesn't know what the feeling is and kinda struggles with coping.





	What is this feeling?

**Author's Note:**

> So I started shipping 2nu and hence this was born
> 
> This is way longer than I thought it would be wow

Her welcome back at plastic beach wasn’t what Noodle had been hoping for to say the least.

She hadn’t been expecting a warm welcome from Murdoc or a grand celebration or anything like but she certainly had expected more than the island being attacked by pirates and a cyborg version of her. Russell wasn’t happy at the robot either which she was grateful and much to her amusement Murdoc seemed to be afraid of the now giant Russ.

When she was lowered down to the ground by Russell she immediately noticed something - or rather someone - was missing in the small crowd that had gathered.

2D.

“Noodle!” Murdoc greeted with forced enthusiasm. “It’s great to see you. Where’ve you been? I went lookin’ everywhere for ya!”

“Bullshit!” She snapped accusingly. “You didn’t do shit to find me. You even made a robot to replace me!”

“Now, now,” the bassist muttered quickly, trying to placate her anger. “Not in front of the guests, huh?”

“Where’s 2D?”

“Eh, pardon?”

“You heard me.”

“What do you want with faceache?” Murdoc chuckled humourlessly. “All he does now is sit in his room and mope.”

“To make sure he’s ok of course!” She retorted and shoved past the bassist to find him herself.

The large building atop the island was a bit of a maze and with every empty room Noodle entered she got more and more panicked. She went to the very top and found nothing before going back down to search the bottom.

There was one room in the basement area and thankfully she finally found 2D inside, cowering beside the window. He looked over at her as she entered, staring blankly.

“what do you want?” He grumbled irritably. “I’m still in my room, ain’t I?”

“Toochi, it’s me,” she chuckled quietly. “Not the damn robot.”

The singer visibly perked up, leaping out of bed as fast as he could.

And ended up tripping over his feet and falling. She tried but failed to stifle her laughter, her mood instantly lifting since reaching the floating plastic lump.

“Noods!” 2D yelled gleefully, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m so glad you’re ok! You ‘ad me so worried!”

Noodle could instantly feel her worries and anger melt away and clung to him gratefully. For how thin and clumsy he was, 2D was an amazing hugger. “I know I’m sorry I’ve been gone so long,” she whispered into his shoulder. “I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“’s not your fault,” he comforted her gently. “I’m sure you had your reasons, love.” She remained silent, unsure of what to say and reluctant to pull out of the hug. “All that matters is that you’re back now, right?”

“Yeah…” she mumbled under her breath. “I suppose.”

2D pulled away from her and gave her his signature toothy grin. Noodle felt a rush of an unfamiliar feeling well up inside her. It was strange, like an invisible hand pressing on her heart lightly but not unpleasantly. Happy nerves in a way.

She didn’t know what it was but it irrationally terrified her.

“Love, are you okay?” 2D asked worriedly, noticing she’d tensed up suddenly. “You’ve gone all tense.”

Broken out of her stupor, Noodle looked around wildly. “I…” she stammered. “I don’t…” The singer reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder only for her to slap it away. He recoiled, taken back and hurt by her action.

She fled the room before he could say or do anything.

\---

 

Noodle’s plan to avoid 2D following the incident didn’t even last a day.

She had planned to hide herself away in her new room once she had gotten it, only emerging to eat meals quickly or other necessities in an attempt to avoid the singer. After a long and heated argument with Murdoc, 2D was finally allowed out of the dingy room in the basement and roam the admittedly nice building.

However once she had received the room, 2D had come to check in on her and she found herself unable to keep to the plan.

Even after she had slapped his hand away and ran, hurting him immensely in the process he still cared enough to make sure she was ok and settling down alright.

Guilt and regret welled up inside her.

Noodle sighed, forcing herself to leave the room. She had to apologise to him.

She eventually found him in the living room after a while of wandering around. He was sitting behind a sofa staring through one of the various large windows at nothing in particular. The look in his eyes was vacant and she assumed he had spaced out like he always did.

“Toochi?” She prodded lightly. “Are you feeling alright?”

2D jumped slightly as she spoke. “Noods! You scared me,” he chuckled breathlessly.

“I’m sorry,” she uttered apologetically. “Bad habit.”

“’s alright, love,” he chirped with a small smile and sitting up a bit straighter. “Broke me out of a trance you did.”

“Oh, right,” Noodle muttered, walking around the sofa and sat next to her friend. “Are you okay? Why are you spacing out again?”

The singer shrugged nonchalantly, turning away from her. “Dunno,” he answered honestly. :Just happens. ’s been happenin’ a lot more nowadays.”

“Toochi…” she sighed forlornly.

“Hm?”

“I…want to say sorry,” she admitted quickly before her nerves stopped her.  
“For what?” He inquired. “You’ve done nothin’ wrong, Noods.”

“But I hurt you, that isn’t okay,” she insisted. “When I hit your hand away and ran, I…hurt you.”

“No, you didn’t love,” he assured her. “I was confused an’ all but I knew you must’ve had your reasons.”

“Are you sure?”

“Course I am, Noods. I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”

The strange unfamiliar feeling returned but stronger this time. She wasn’t afraid this time however and leaned on 2D’s shoulder.

She may not understand this feeling fully yet but as 2D wrapped an arm round her shoulder and hugged her back she realised she didn’t want it to go away.

\---

Time passed and the feeling only seemed to get stronger rather than fading, reaching the point that even seeing him for a second would trigger the now familiar rush.

Noodle was no closer to figuring out what the hell it was.

Her day had started pretty well with a conversation with 2D over breakfast, Noodle trying to make breakfast for both of them (and Murdoc too if he showed up which he didn’t) while not getting distracted by the singer’s attempts to get her to laugh.

Then that damned cyborg wandered in and her mood was ruined.

The robot hadn’t done much. With 2D allowed out of the room and nothing to fight, it mostly just wandered around the house and occasionally stopped in a room. A tiny part of her pitied the robot; it was stuck in a now meaningless existence.

But mostly she loathed the fact it existed in the first place.

She had left the kitchen as quickly as possible and stormed outside to seethe in her anger which is how Russel found her.

“I hate that robot too,” Russel comforted her calmly. “Honestly Murdoc should just trash that thing already. It has no reason to exist anymore.”

She nodded silently, her anger having finally dissipated after talking to Russ. Her mind had drifted back to whatever the hell it was that 2D made her feel, Russel’s voice fading into the background. 

“Baby girl?”

Noodle snapped out of her trance and shook her head slightly. “Hm?”

“You spaced out there for a sec, you feeling ok?” The giant drummer asked in concern. “It’s unlike you.”

“Oh, uh, I’m fine,” she lied. “Really.”

Russ frowned in disbelief. “You sure?” He persisted. “Cos I don’t quite believe you.” She tried to smile reassuringly at him and he sighed loudly. “You can tell me anything, Noodle girl, you know that!”

Realising she wasn’t getting away without telling him, she groaned. “I…”she started. “Honestly…I don’t know.”  
“You don’t know?”

“No.”

There was a long pause, Noodle unsure how to voice her thoughts.

“Recently I’ve had these strange feelings and I’m not sure what it is,” she admitted quietly.

“Could you describe these feelings to me?” Russ prompted. “Maybe I can help.”

“Like there’s a kind of…pressure on my chest but not an unpleasant one,” she described. “Similar to nerves or anxiety but not unpleasant.”

She could see the drummer’s eyes widen slightly in recognition. “Do you feel this when looking at someone?”

“Mhm.”

“When talking to ‘em?”

“Yes.”

“Even just by thinking of them?”

“Yes, Russ.”

Russel sighed deeply. “Sounds like you’ve gotten yourself a crush, baby girl.”

She panicked. “A crush!? No, no way. I can’t.”

“Seems the most likely answer Noods,” Russel informed her. “I’ve felt that feeling before.”

She remained silent, still reeling inside her mind.

“Who is it?”

“Hm?”

“Who’s the one giving you that feeling? Someone from before I find you?” Russ prodded gently.

“No…”

“Then who…”He trailed off and pinched his nose. “I think I know.”

She sighed, flopping onto her back. “Yeah…” she muttered somewhat bitterly.

“2D.”

“2D.”

There was another pause, neither of them sure how to continue.

“Is that bad of me?” Noodle asked, sitting up to stare at Russel.

“No, it isn’t,” Russel reassured her. “There are way worse guys in the world than 2D, it’s just strange to think about.”

“What is?”

“You and 2D.”

“Oh, yeah, I suppose,” she muttered quietly.

“I don’t mean to sound rude, Noods,” he told her. “It’s just an odd thought.”

“It’s fine,” she muttered as she stood up. “I’m gonna go back inside now. Thanks for talking to me.”

“Anytime, Noodle girl,” Russel said comfortingly. “Just one thing though.”

“Hm?”

“If I find out 2D has hurt you in any way, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be calm.”

—-

Unsurprisingly, she didn’t sleep that night. Her mind too busy repeating her conversation with Russel earlier. She spent a few hours tossing and turning in her bed then gave up with a loud groan, grabbing her acoustic guitar and stalking out of the room. She always played her guitar when angry, sad or just unable to sleep - it helped her calm down and focus a bit.

She wandered aimlessly until she found a good spot - the area behind the sofa where she had sat with 2D a few days earlier. She wasn’t sure why she’d chosen that spot in particular but it was comfy enough and had a good view of the ocean.

So she began to play whatever came to mind. Random tunes she made up on the spot, old gorillaz songs and songs she’d learned in her travels. She made sure to play a bit quieter than usual, aware that her bandmates were asleep.

Which was why she was confused when she heard footsteps approaching.

In the silent halls, the sound echoed and sounded much louder than usual. Noodle halted in her guitar playing and stood up to face the doorway. “Toochi?” She called out softly, knowing the singer was a light sleeper when he did in fact sleep. “Is that you?”

There was no answer which put her off slightly.

She was put off even more when that damned robot walked in.

“What do you want?” She grumbled, walking around the sofa to face her copy.

The robot looked at the guitar she was holding in one hand, slowly pointing at it.

“My guitar?” Noodle questioned incredulously. “You want my guitar?”

“Guitar,” cyborg repeated monotonously. “…Give. Guitar. To. Me.”

“What? No!”

“Give. Now.” The robot repeated, stepping closer with an outstretched hand. “Does not…belong to you.”

Something in Noodle snapped. She lunged forward, swinging her guitar up and down into the robot’s head.

A loud, echoing screech echoed through thhe house as the robot collapsed onto the ground, twitching violently with sparks flying off in all directions. The guitarist wasn’t done with the robot, however, and just kept hammering away with her guitar. With each hit, a robotic limb flew up and flailed as if it actually felt pain.

Noodle thought it was ridiculous.  
Eventually she hit the robot so hard her guitar broke. She chucked the remains to the side and stared down at what was left - a badly beaten and twitching pile of plastic and wires. It twisted what used to be its head to look at her, letting out another inhuman scream that no longer sounded anything like her.

The anger returned and lifted her foot to stomp down on the damned thing’s head when she felt herself be pulled back.

Noodle screamed and cursed, fighting to free herself so she could finish destroying the damn thing. “Let me go!” She spat out. “Let me go, you…!”

“Stop it!” 2D babbled desperately. “You need to calm down, Noods!”

“I can’t, Toochi,” she argued back. “I need to…I have to…destroy that thing!”

“I know, I know,” 2D reassured her. “But you have to calm down, love. If you don’t…”

“If I don’t?” Noodle scoffed. “What happens if I don’t?”

“Then you could get yourself electrocuted or Muds’ll hurt you,” he reasoned with her. “I don’t want you to get hurt is all!”

She sighed, calming almost instantly. “I…” she trembled. “I didn’t…I’m sorry…”

“Shh, it’s okay,” 2D assured her kindly, gently guiding her away from the short-circuiting robot. “Let’s just go before Muds arrives, yeah?”

She nodded silently, allowing him to leader her away. She glanced back at the robot feeling slight regret.

—-

Noodle broke as soon as the door of 2D’s room closed behind her, instantly bursting into tears and falling onto the ground.

“Noods!” 2D panicked, nearly throwing himself down onto the ground to kneel in front of her. “What’s wrong? Why are you cryin’?”

“I…don’t know,” she sobbed, hating how loud and high pitched her voice had become. “I was just playing the guitar and then that fucking robot…”

“The robot…?”

“It walked into the room,” she recalled bitterly. “It…wanted my guitar.”

“Your guitar?” He interjected. “Why would it want that?”

“It…said it didn’t belong to me,” she sighed, the anger she had felt before returning slightly. “Something inside me snapped, I guess, and I just started attacking it.” 2D remained silent, content to just listen to her talk. “I…broke my guitar,” she sniffed and began to cry again. “…I’m an idiot.”

“No, you aren’t,” 2D protested. “I’m an idiot, love. Murdoc’s a bloody idiot too.”

“And so am I!” She yelled hysterically. “I didn’t think twice before destroying the machine. I was an idiot for thinking coming back would be alright.”

The singer shook his head in dismay. “Noodle, please,” he pleaded. “You aren’t an idiot for returning and certainly not for destroying that robot! You think I haven’t considered doin’ the same? Yeh think Russ hasn’t either?”  
“Really?”

“Mhm,” he affirmed, looking up at the door. “Not a day has gone by in this damned place where I haven’t thought of bashin’ that robot’s head in! Murdoc had no right to replace you with a robot. Bloody insensitive that is!”

Noodle found herself beginning to laugh. “Thank you, Toochi,” she whispered affectionately, hugging him tightly before she could stop herself.

She could practically feel him grin as he returned the hug. “You’re welcome, Noods,” he acknowledged. “You can come talk to me anytime.”

Noodle hummed halfheartedly, more focused on how warm he was and the fact he was a really good hugger.

The feeling returned and she knew it had risen to being more than just a crush.

—-

“What are clouds made of?”

“Water, Toochi,” Noodle giggled uncharacteristically. “Didn’t you learn that at school?”

“Ey? How are they made of water?” 2D questioned cynically. “Water’s a liquid while clouds are...not.”

They were lying outside watching the clouds, partly for fun but mostly to avoid murdoc who was still annoyed at his robot being destroyed. It was weeks ago, Noodle thought idly. He needs to let it go.

“I feel this should be the other way round,” she teased. “I didn’t go to school while you did.” 

The singer turned and looked at her curiously. “Russ taught you stuff wouldn’t that count as school?” he asked.

She shrugged. “Maybe but it isn’t the traditional schooling, is it?” she replied. “I haven’t learned everything typical schools could.”

He seemed to accept that answer. “You’re still the smartest one here,” he commented as if it was an obvious fact.

She laughed in disbelief. “No way that’s true.”

“It is!” The singer protested. “You’re a bloody genius, Noods. Smartest person I know.”

“I’m not a genius, Toochi.”

“Yes you are.”

She felt her face warm and turned away from him. “I’m pretty sure you think everyone is a genius,” she pointed out.

“Yeah but you’re a...bigger genius than the rest of ‘em,” he argued back.

Noodle shook her head but decided not to continue arguing. “Sure Toochi,” she dismissed with a sigh.

“Prettiest here too.”

She choked slightly in surprise. “You’re spacing out again Toochi,” she muttered.

“Am not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not,” she snapped harshly. “I’m covered in bruises and scars, my hair’s too short and...I’m just not pretty, ok?”

“I think you’re wrong on that, love,” 2D chided lightly. “Scars an’ bruises don’t make you less pretty and what does it matter if you’re hair’s short? I still think you’re absolutely beautiful.” He stopped talking rather abruptly, face going slightly pink.

Noodle decided to change the subject quickly. “So you wanted to know what clouds were made of?” she asked quickly.

“What? Oh, uh, yeah,” 2D mumbled quietly. “I suppose.”

“So, water from the river flows into the ocean right?” she explained. 2D nodded in understanding. “The sun warms up the water in the ocean and once it gets hot enough it turns into a gas.”

“Uh huh.”

“That gas is what makes clouds.”

“That’s amazing.”

\---

“I don’t understand why ffilms portray love like that.”

Noodle glanced up at 2D from his side. They were watching a film in his room, neither of them able to sleep. It had reached the moment where the main character made a grand romantic gesture to the love interest.

“What do you mean?” she asked curiously.

“I mean that they always show love as this big thing,” the singer complained. “It’s not like that at all. At least not to me it isn’t.”

“What do you think love is?”

“Caring strongly for a person. Looking out for them and making sure they’re ok.”

“I’ve...never thought of it like that,” Noodle admitted sheepishly.

“You probably think I’m crazy,” he grumbled.

“No, not at all actually,” she reassured him. “I think that makes sense. Besides who has time for grand sweeping gestures anyway, right?”

“Right,” 2D chirped, mood lifting with her agreement.

They fell back into a comfortable silence as the film continued. Every now and again, her companion would grumble a complaint under his breath making her laugh. He would grin every time making her think he was doing it on purpose.

“Have you ever loved someone?” 2D asked her once the film finished, taking her off guard.

“Huh? Why do you ask?” she asked back, trying to keep herself calm.

The singer shrugged, refusing to make eye contact. “Just curious is all.”

“No, I never really thought about it as a child,” she muttered honestly. “Have you?”

“Once a long time ago. You wouldn’t know her, it was before you arrived.”

“Oh, was she nice?”

“I thought so at the time but no she wasn’t.” He paused. “She cheated on me with Murdoc.”

Sympathy for the singer and anger at this woman flooded through her being. “What was her name?”

“Paula cracker, why?”

“No reason,” Noodle lied innocently, silently adding the name to her list of people to beat up if she ever met them. “Have you never loved anyone since then?”

He looked down at his knees, laughing awkwardly. “Welll...no but not someone who’d feel the same.”

“Who is it?”

He shook his head violently. “Not saying.”

“Come on, tell me!” she prodded lightly. “Please?”

“No.”

“I’ll…” she paused. “I’ll tell you about who I’ve got a crush on?”

“Wait, I thought you said you never thought of it?”

“Never thought of it as a child,” she corrected him. “I’m no longer a child, Toochi.”

“Oh, how old are you now? I’ve lost track,” he asked nervously, feeling bad for having forgotten.

“Around 20.”

“20? Wow, look at you all grown up!” 2D said proudly.

“Thanks Toochi,” she mumbled, suddenly feeling a little shy. “Anyway, we’ve gone off track a little.”

“Have we?”

“So...do we have a deal?” she reminded him. The singer stared at her blankly. “You tell me who your crush is and I tell you mine?”

“Oh, uh, maybe not a great idea,” he protested quickly.

She huffed in slight frustration, trying to come up with a solution. “Maybe…” she mused. “If we say it at the same time we won’t be able to hear what we say?” It was an admittedly weak suggestion but the only one she had right now.

“Alright,” 2D agreed uneasily.

“On the count of three, okay?”

“Okay.”

“1...2...3…”

“You,” they said at the same time.

There was a long silent moment as they processed what had just happened.

Then it settled and Noodle’s heart felt like it was leaping out of her chest. “Did….you just say what I thought you did?” she checked. “Or am I hallucinating.”

“If either of us is hallucinatin’, love, it’d be me,” 2D muttered. “Am I?”

“No...I don’t think so,” she squeaked, blushing heavily.

“So we both said…?”

“You...yeah we did.”

They stared at each other, suddenly hyper aware of how close they were. Noodle felt her shallow breathing and her eyes were constantly darting towards his lips. Before she could stop herself, she kissed him.

2D squeaked and was slow to respond but eventually he caught up and kissed her back. He turned his body around fully in order to kiss her better, lifting a hand to hold her waist. She could feel herself melt slightly out of happiness and relief that the feelings were returned.

They eventually broke apart to breath, taking the moment to smile at each other before 2D pulled her back to him. Noodle pushed herself forwards until their bodies were touching, wanting to get as close as possible.

The rest of the world was almost like a blur to her. Nothing else mattered in that moment.

Just them.


End file.
